Academic literature on the topic 'Automobile repair shops in fiction'

The need of a location-based service more specifically as a mobile application sparked the interest of this paper to develop an Android Mobile Application using Location-based services. Yelp and Zomato are one of the few examples. The application created is specific to locating the nearest auto repair shops used via smartphones that detect the location of the user in order to perform the task. This application will not only benefit the customers in need for a nearby auto shop but as well as the providers of the service. The application was developed using Android Studio and was tested by using five (5) nearest auto shops around the vicinity. The results showed the directions getting to the shops as well as the type of services being provided to customers. An acceptability survey was conducted to validate the applicability of the mobile application. The survey was conducted using a controlled group consisting of the nearest auto shops and thirty (30) automobile enthusiasts. The survey presents an applicable and engaging application in assisting possible customers in case of emergency instances arise. Using the survey as basis, an enhancement of the application was completed. Finally, it was suggested that the application will reach its full potential once additional functions are implemented. Registration or Google verification of shop owners is key as it will add to the service provider directory to enable a broad listing.

Background National Household Survey of Drug Use in the India in its systematic effort to document the nationwide prevalence of drug use including alcohol consumption reported that almost 21% of the adult male Indian consume alcohol in a year. To find out prevalence, pattern and consequences of drinking and determine the relationship of alcohol use with demographic and socio-economic factors among auto-mobile repair workers. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among auto-mobile repair workers in the urban field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata. Results Prevalence of alcoholism in the community of automobile repair workers was found to be as high as 79%. More than 50% of the alcoholics belonged to the hazardous and dependent variety according to the WHO developed AUDIT instrument.53.01% of the alcoholics consumed foreign liquor predominantly and 87.95% bought them from licensed liquor shops. Mean age of initiation of drinking was 18.67 years. Taking loan OR (95% CI) 3.51(1.56-7.92), gambling OR (95% CI) 3.38(1.48-7.69) and clinical signs of alcoholism OR (95% CI) 5.52 (2.13 - 14.29) were significantly associated with chronic alcohol abuse. A multivariate logistic regression model was created for socio-economic variables which showed education AOR (95%CI) 4.65(1.34- 16.31) and total number of family members AOR (95%CI) 5.33(1.31-25.02) were significantly associated with drinking status (Nagelkerke R2 for this model is 0.2585). ConclusionThe prevalence of alcoholism is high in the automobile repair workers and therefore all efforts must be made to reduce, if not eliminate, alcohol consumption among the workers of auto-mobile service centres.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nje.v3i3.9188 Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 2013;3(3): 269-274

I read the article authored by Dasgupta et al “Alcohol Consumption by workers in automobile repair shops of a slum of Kolkata: An assessment with AUDIT instrument” with great interest. This article was published in the Nepal Journal of Epidemiology in volume 3, issue 3, 2013. Alcoholism leads several health, economic and social problems in the lives of people who consume it. It also affects their families and community. Social issues such as violence, suicide, child neglect, work place absent, conflict in relationship, and divorce are some common outcomes of alcohol consumption.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nje.v3i4.9520

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated closed loop performance management model for service industries.Design/methodology/approachThe service performance of any organization is measured by considering qualitative and quantitative dimensions. The qualitative dimension includes the service quality factors. In order to measure the service quality precisely, fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) has been employed in this paper. The data pertaining to both qualitative and quantitative dimensions are combined using extended Brown‐Gibson (EBG) model to measure the service performance. As an improvement process, fuzzy quality function deployment (FQFD) has been employed to redesign the existing services. A case study from automobile repair shops illustrates the usability of the model.FindingsThe developed model quantifies service performance and ensures the improvement of the service process. The proposed model takes into account the uncertainty that occurs while capturing the subjective assessment from customers and service engineers. The case study shows that the model can be used to gain service process understanding and identify significant factors for redesigning. Detailed results are presented.Originality/valueThe paper describes a novel method for service performance management. Fuzzy assessment of customers' feedback and service managers' feedback is much closer to human thinking than methods based on crisp numbers.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the effects of deep environmental changes on business network actors’ behaviors. The consequences of political, institutional, and socio-economic changes on Tunisian automotive spare-parts distribution networks during the past five years are examined. The authors chose the Tunisian automotive spare-parts distribution network for several important reasons. Most importantly, it gave us a unique platform to study the aftermath of deep political, socio-economic, and governance shocks caused by the Jasmin Revolution on a historically stable, simple, and productive business network within the import-dependent Tunisian spare-parts distribution system. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative, exploratory research project was conducted in Tunisia to assess and interpret changes in actors’ behaviors and business relationships within the automobile parts aftermarket due to major social, economic, and political upheavals. Automobile parts jobbers served as principal source of data for investigations. Jobbers were selected as key respondents because of the middle and pivotal position they occupy in Tunisian automobile parts distribution channels. For this reason, they were able to provide insightful and compelling information about business relationships with upstream channel members such as manufacturers and wholesalers as well as with downstream channel members such as retailers, repair shop owners, and repair technicians. Findings The authors found that seismic political, socio-economic, and interpersonal relationship shocks to institutions significantly impacted the behaviors of key actors in those networks, which, in turn, altered the nature and conduct of business within those networks. Profound changes in the companies’ external environment provoked changes in the companies’ proximate relationships and business dealings. In the short-run, these changes brought more conflictual and more short-term and selfish behaviors on the part of network actors in their ongoing business relationships. In long term, the increased volatility and uncertainty will likely bring wanted and unwanted institutional changes which, in turn, will likely create new forms of behaviors, relationships, and business networks. This new situation will cause a distrust between distribution actors and among notorious automotive brand names that are counterfeit and sold as genuine brand. Research limitations/implications As in the case of qualitative methodology, this research has several limitations. One of them is the focus on jobbers. Although the choice of jobbers as a key respondent is justified by their middle role between the importer wholesalers as their suppliers and the repair shops as their clients, the views of these other actors are not directly mirrored in the research. Another limit is that only the most important jobbers were asked who were generally threatened by the counterfeit products and who did not deal with those products. Thus, the view of the new actors is missing from the picture. Practical implications Managers must pay attention to potentially dangerous combinations of elements which, when taken together, may prompt self-serving and destructive behaviors that may threaten the continued prosperity of long-standing business relationships and networks. As in the Tunisian case, the lower the level of compliance combined with the availability of low price, counterfeit or imported goods dramatically increased the level of short-term, malevolent relationship-destroying behaviors. Perhaps the greatest danger to overall network prosperity comes when short-term opportunism replaces the pursuit of long-term mutual benefits. Research has long demonstrated that high-involvement long-term relationships are essential for distribution companies’ growth and sustained performance. Originality/value Given the immediacy of the revolution and the paucity of research on channels in developing North African nations, this work stands to make a timely contribution to the literature. The influence of weak institutions (including governments) is a unique and important contribution. Other unique contribution is the introduction of counterfeit goods into consideration showing their role in the changes of actors’ behavior and in the possible source of conflicts.

Se propone la Campaña Enlace, una estrategia que buscó conectar a los dos más importantes influenciadores en la venta de repuestos Bosch y FM, los mecánicos y las Casas de repuestos a través de una dinámica, donde se premiaría a los mecánicos, por la recolección de empaques vacíos de productos participantes sin necesidad de salir de su taller a través de un equipo de promotoras.
Trabajo de suficiencia profesional

When one thinks of motor vehicle accident damage repairs, one often thinks of unscrupulous operators and a scurrilous industry. While this is regrettably often the case, there is a counterpoint, being the significant number of motor body repair firms that have invested significant sums in establishing accredited and certified motor body repair outlets, and who offer a premium service. The industry is one that is regulated by the South African Motor Body Repair Association, a body that seeks to dictate a standard of repairs by dictating membership eligibility relative to investment in equipment. Most unfortunately, this stipulation does not adequately take into account the flow of work that there may be from the motor vehicle insurance industry, and many repairers find themselves having to resort to nefarious means to ensure that business comes their way. The author of this report is a co-owner of an advanced major structural motor body repairer. Rather than stooping to unethical practices, the owners have sought to undertake a position appraisal and gap analysis with the intention of uncovering the strategic alternatives available to their firm. The firm has implemented the strategic choices highlighted by this report to good effect and has enjoyed enhanced revenue streams and business competitiveness as a result of undertaking this exercise. This report serves to document the highlights of that process.
Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.